Published: Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 6:33 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 6:33 p.m.

That's how far Wofford was from what would have been a monumental upset against top-ranked North Dakota State in the FCS playoffs.

The Terriers, not once but twice, were seven yards from getting within an extra point of tying the Bison or a 2-point conversion from winning.

“We had already said we were going for two,” Wofford head coach Mike Ayers said.

Wofford was at the 7-yard line twice in the fourth quarter but came away with no points and lost, 14-7, in a quarterfinals game at the Fargodome.

“It's just so tough,” an emotional Ayers said afterward. “It was a great game. We fought our brains out. We had a chance.”

But instead, it will be North Dakota State (12-1) playing here next week against Georgia Southern in the semifinals. The winner will be in Frisco, Texas, near Dallas, Jan. 5 in the national championship game.

Wofford (9-4) didn't have an offensive point against a defense ranked at the top of nearly every category. But the Terriers twice got inside the 10 at the end.

On third-and-4 from the 7, Donovan Johnson took a pitch and had a block by Jake Miles on the right edge, but couldn't beat another defender and lost two yards. Wofford went for a 26-yard field goal and it was blocked.

On fourth-and-3 from the 7 again, this time with only three and a half minutes remaining, Johnson got another opportunity and gained only 1 yard.

“We had two chances with the ball in the red zone and came away with nothing,” Wofford quarterback James Lawson said. “To win a national championship, we knew we had to be better than that. It's something that is going to sit with us all offseason.”

For some, like Walter Payton Award finalist Eric Breitenstein, there is no offseason. His college career finished with 2,035 rushing yards this season. He ran for 135 against a defense that was allowing an average of only 63 total yards on the ground.

“North Dakota State did a great job defensively,” Breitenstein said. “They were able to hold us down. We broke a few big ones (rushing for 262 as a team) and had some opportunities when we were moving the ball on them, but we also had turnovers. You can't turn the ball over and expect to win against the No. 1 team in the nation.”

Quarterback Brian Kass, in the starting lineup for the first time since getting hurt early in the Nov. 3 overtime loss against Samford, fumbled away Wofford's opening possession of each half. For the Terriers, it was 34 fumbles on the season and eight lost in the past three games.

“We had two real good drives going and the same old thing just jumped up and bit us,” Ayers said. “…We just couldn't seem to get over the hump offensively to get that thing pushed in. There are obvious reasons. Part of it is us and part of it is them.”

North Dakota State scored on its first possession of the game, going 75 yards in 10 plays capped by a 1-yard run by Sam Ojuri. Wofford tied it up early in the second quarter on a 35-yard interception return by Blake Wylie.

The Bison got the eventual winning touchdown with 1:02 left in the first half, when quarterback Brock Jensen connected with Zach Vraa in the back of the end zone after a 39-yard run by Jenson on a draw play and two pass interference penalties on the Terriers.

Wofford finished with 326 total yards to North Dakota State's 262. But just like last season, when the Terriers doubled the yardage of Northern Iowa, they fell short on the scoreboard.

“It feels like a rewind of last year,” Wylie said, “being in a dome, a close game, battling all the way to the end but coming up short.”

North Dakota State last season claimed its ninth national championship. The Bison previously won in 1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1990.

Wofford was trying to make it to the semifinals for the second time in school history, the other occasion being 2003 against eventual champ Delaware.

“I appreciate the competition we had today. That's what our tournament is all about,” North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl said. “We're going to have to lick our wounds and get ready to play next week.”

North Dakota State, 21-3 at home during the last three seasons, was considered about a 16-point favorite by Las Vegas oddsmakers. But the Terriers believed they could win.

“We knew coming in that we most certainly had a chance,” linebacker Alvin Scioneaux said. “We've played with the best of the best. North Dakota State was going to be no different. We were confident. We knew we could hang with them. There wasn't a question at all.”

<p>FARGO, N.D. — Seven yards.</p><p>That's how far Wofford was from what would have been a monumental upset against top-ranked North Dakota State in the FCS playoffs.</p><p>The Terriers, not once but twice, were seven yards from getting within an extra point of tying the Bison or a 2-point conversion from winning. </p><p>“We had already said we were going for two,” Wofford head coach Mike Ayers said.</p><p>Wofford was at the 7-yard line twice in the fourth quarter but came away with no points and lost, 14-7, in a quarterfinals game at the Fargodome.</p><p>“It's just so tough,” an emotional Ayers said afterward. “It was a great game. We fought our brains out. We had a chance.”</p><p>But instead, it will be North Dakota State (12-1) playing here next week against Georgia Southern in the semifinals. The winner will be in Frisco, Texas, near Dallas, Jan. 5 in the national championship game.</p><p>Wofford (9-4) didn't have an offensive point against a defense ranked at the top of nearly every category. But the Terriers twice got inside the 10 at the end.</p><p>On third-and-4 from the 7, Donovan Johnson took a pitch and had a block by Jake Miles on the right edge, but couldn't beat another defender and lost two yards. Wofford went for a 26-yard field goal and it was blocked.</p><p>On fourth-and-3 from the 7 again, this time with only three and a half minutes remaining, Johnson got another opportunity and gained only 1 yard.</p><p>“We had two chances with the ball in the red zone and came away with nothing,” Wofford quarterback James Lawson said. “To win a national championship, we knew we had to be better than that. It's something that is going to sit with us all offseason.”</p><p>For some, like Walter Payton Award finalist Eric Breitenstein, there is no offseason. His college career finished with 2,035 rushing yards this season. He ran for 135 against a defense that was allowing an average of only 63 total yards on the ground.</p><p>“North Dakota State did a great job defensively,” Breitenstein said. “They were able to hold us down. We broke a few big ones (rushing for 262 as a team) and had some opportunities when we were moving the ball on them, but we also had turnovers. You can't turn the ball over and expect to win against the No. 1 team in the nation.”</p><p>Quarterback Brian Kass, in the starting lineup for the first time since getting hurt early in the Nov. 3 overtime loss against Samford, fumbled away Wofford's opening possession of each half. For the Terriers, it was 34 fumbles on the season and eight lost in the past three games.</p><p>“We had two real good drives going and the same old thing just jumped up and bit us,” Ayers said. “…We just couldn't seem to get over the hump offensively to get that thing pushed in. There are obvious reasons. Part of it is us and part of it is them.”</p><p>North Dakota State scored on its first possession of the game, going 75 yards in 10 plays capped by a 1-yard run by Sam Ojuri. Wofford tied it up early in the second quarter on a 35-yard interception return by Blake Wylie.</p><p>The Bison got the eventual winning touchdown with 1:02 left in the first half, when quarterback Brock Jensen connected with Zach Vraa in the back of the end zone after a 39-yard run by Jenson on a draw play and two pass interference penalties on the Terriers.</p><p>Wofford finished with 326 total yards to North Dakota State's 262. But just like last season, when the Terriers doubled the yardage of Northern Iowa, they fell short on the scoreboard.</p><p>“It feels like a rewind of last year,” Wylie said, “being in a dome, a close game, battling all the way to the end but coming up short.”</p><p>North Dakota State last season claimed its ninth national championship. The Bison previously won in 1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1990.</p><p>Wofford was trying to make it to the semifinals for the second time in school history, the other occasion being 2003 against eventual champ Delaware.</p><p>“I appreciate the competition we had today. That's what our tournament is all about,” North Dakota State head coach Craig Bohl said. “We're going to have to lick our wounds and get ready to play next week.”</p><p>North Dakota State, 21-3 at home during the last three seasons, was considered about a 16-point favorite by Las Vegas oddsmakers. But the Terriers believed they could win.</p><p>“We knew coming in that we most certainly had a chance,” linebacker Alvin Scioneaux said. “We've played with the best of the best. North Dakota State was going to be no different. We were confident. We knew we could hang with them. There wasn't a question at all.”</p>